Constitutional Council president Im Chhun Lim meets with Francophonie Electoral Mission’s (MEF) Desire Nyaruhirira on July 18. CCC
In a recent meeting with the Francophonie Electoral Mission (MEF), the leader of the Constitutional Council of Cambodia (CCC) defended the disqualification of certain political parties, stating it was solely a matter of law enforcement.
CCC president Im Chhun Lim engaged in discussions with the MEF group, headed by Desire Nyaruhirira, a special adviser to the secretary general of the International Organisation of La Francophonie (IOF), on July 18.
These talks took place amid the MEF’s nine-day mission from July 17 to 25, to observe the July 23 electoral process. Nyaruhirira brought up the exclusion of two political parties by the National Election Committee (NEC) from the upcoming nat’l poll, requesting further explanation from the CCC chief.
“The refusal to register the two political parties was purely the implementation of laws. This omission was borne of the political parties themselves as they had failed to fulfil the required conditions of legal political party registration applications,” Chhun Lim was quoted as briefing Nyaruhirira.
He further suggested that Nyaruhirira and his delegation continue their monitoring activities till the results of the election are announced, thereby enabling them to accurately assess the electoral process. Nyaruhirira confirmed that the delegation planned to maintain their vigil until July 25.
The two parties that have been disqualified by the NEC are the Candlelight Party (CP) and Khmer National United Party (KNUP). Despite the parties’ appeals, the CCC upheld the NEC’s decision, declaring it final.
NEC chairman Prach Chan conversed with Nyaruhirira and his delegation on July 18 at the NEC headquarters. He emphasised Cambodia’s membership in the IOF and praised the mission’s presence as a testament to the strong ties between Cambodia and the French-speaking member states.
Chan relayed that the NEC had successfully organised 16 general and local elections.
“We are geared up to conduct the general election on Sunday July 23. Security forces are ready to protect peace, safety and public order so that the election will achieve a success,” he said.
Sam Kuntheamy, executive director of the NGO Neutral and Impartial Committee for Free and Fair Elections in Cambodia (NICFEC), praised the MEF’s efforts but urged for neutrality, transparency and justice in their observation. He welcomed the delegation’s intent to meet with NGOs to discuss electoral matters.
“As a civil society organisation, I also want to know this delegation’s stance on the process of the forthcoming seventh-mandate parliamentary election,” he said.
